The second seed was unable to convert his first break point in the seventh game but deservedly edged ahead at 4-3.

In a rush of blood to the head, Raonic came to the net off a weak approach and Murray gleefully fired back the ball to induce the crucial error.

It was only the sixth time the 25-year-old Canadian, who had stunned Federer in a five-set semi-final, had dropped serve in the tournament.

Murray backed up the break for 5-3 before Raonic took the ninth game in which he fired his first ace of the final.

He had gone into the match having hit 137 aces in the previous six rounds.

A straightforward volley allowed Murray to claim the opener 6-4 with Raonic having hit just nine winners.

Raonic remained under siege, saving another break point in the first game of the second set, one more in the seventh and two more in the ninth as he clung on although his escape was aided by two Murray backhand errors.

Raonic unleashed a serve of 147mph in that game but his opponent still won the point -- a dispiriting snapshot of his afternoon.

Murray remained in cruise control, breezing through the tie-break for a two sets lead.

He still hadn't faced a break point in the final while Murray's unforced error count was just six.

Raonic did carve out his first break points in the fifth game of the third set but Murray saved both.

Another tiebreak was required and again Murray dominated, stretching out to five match points.

Raonic saved one but Murray claimed victory was assured when the Canadian netted a return.